COLUMBUS -- At this rate, Ohio State's remaining defensive backs must be getting a little paranoid.

Yet another defensive back went down on Saturday with what is believed to be a serious knee injury. Freshman Corey "Pittsburgh" Brown was helped off the field late in OSU's 49-0 win over Purdue.

He was then taken by motorized vehicle to the locker room facility with a dejected look on his face.

"I'm afraid he hurt his knee," Coach Jim Tressel said of Brown. "You hate losing guys. You know, Corey Brown has been such a ... guy that's come along. And you could just see he's really going to help you.

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"I'm afraid we won't have him for a bit."

Brown's injury is just the latest in a long line of injuries to the defensive backfield. Tyler Moeller (chest) and C.J. Barnett (knee) are out for the season, while Christian Bryant had foot surgery this week and will miss an unspecified number of games.

With the injuries, OSU employed yet another new starting lineup in the defensive backfield, with Jermale Hines moving from safety to Star (nickle) to replace Bryant, with Aaron Gant taking over at safety.

Problems afoot

The foot problems of junior offensive tackle J.B. Shugarts continue.

Shugarts was removed from the game midway through the second quarter, replaced by freshman Andrew Norwell. He did not return.

Tressel said the plan was to only play Shugarts in the first half. Shugarts said the lingering injury, which he said first arose last year after the Penn State game, is frustrating but that he needs "to block it out and step it up.

"It's extremely frustrating," he said. "I really don't get to practice as much as I'd like to. Just getting ready for a game is harder than usual."

He hopes rest and recuperation will help, but that might not come for a while.

"I would really love to not get surgery," he said. "But if that's what it has to be, then that's what is has to be."

Kerrigan was held to four tackles on Saturday, though he did have a sack and two tackles for loss. He entered the game as the Big Ten leader in tackles for loss (14) and sacks (5.5).

"Every single play," said OSU fullback Zach Boren when asked how often he identified Kerrigan. "Every time I got down in my stance, I knew where No. 94 was. He's the one they build their defense around. We knew where he was the whole time."

Still seething

Apparently, Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor hasn't gotten over the losing to Wisconsin last week.

"Nine times out of 10, we beat Wisconsin," Pryor said Saturday, "but on that day when it all mattered, they beat us."

Pryor was 14 of 28 for 156 yards and an interception.

"Not to take anything away from Wisconsin at all," he said, "those guys werent better than us."

First-timers

Both Corey "Philly" Brown and Spencer Smith scored their first career touchdowns for OSU on Saturday. On defense, Ohrian Johnson recorded his first interception in the second quarter, while Storm Klein had his first pick in the fourth quarter.

Quick-hitters

o On Ohio State's opening drive, Dan Herron had five carries for 45 yards. After the first drive, Herron had 11 carries for 29 yards. He is still searching for his first 100-yard game, to which Tressel joked that Herron should break an 80-yarder so OSU "doesn't have to let us let him."

o Jake Stoneburner, who has been nursing an ankle injury, did not start at tight end -- Reid Fragel did -- but Stoneburner still played.